There is a lot of talk in the lean world about the importance of “seeing the whole” and learning how to look at processes end to end. Of all the lean people I have met over the years, few have had the opportunity to work in and come to know as many parts of a value stream as Terry O’Donoghue has.

Today O’Donoghue is the COO of Halfway Toyota, a South African chain of dealerships that he joined in 2011 after spending 30 years at Toyota South Africa in a number of different roles.

His career with the car manufacturer started in 1980 as a computer programmer. “I had no real interest in the motor industry,” he admits flat out at the beginning of our conversation. Considering O’Donoghue ended up staying at Toyota for three decades, this was quite surprising to hear.

Over the years, his role within the company changed several times. At first, O’Donoghue kept working as a programmer in different departments (After Sales and then Finance), but before long he started to gradually and seamlessly move away from programming.

Also from LEAN UK...

UK Lean Summit 2018 takes place at the MacDonald Hotel, Manchester
on 18th & 19th April. There are pre-Summit Masterclasses 17th April and a visit to Toyota's engine plant with Jim Womack and Dan Jones on 20th April. Book at: http://www.eiseverywhere.com/leansummit2018

UK Lean Summit 2018

UK Lean Summit 2018 takes place at the MacDonald Hotel, Manchester
on 18th & 19th April. There are pre-Summit Masterclasses 17th April and a visit to Toyota's engine plant with Jim Womack and Dan Jones on 20th April. Book at: http://www.eiseverywhere.com/leansummit2018